Drug crackdown as police stay tough on dealers in Tunbridge Wells

It in Tunbridge Wells leading to the arrest of five people in connection with an international drug smuggling ring.

It comes after police in Tunbridge Wells said the force would target drug activity within the borough ‘relentlessly’.

The arrests were related to a previous incident in which cannabis with a street value worth ‘tens of thousands of pounds’ was seized during an operation undertaken by UK Border Force officers, at a location in Birmingham earlier this year.

Police had traced the importation of the class-B drug to individuals in Tunbridge Wells. A total of six kilograms had been intercepted.

On July 5, Kent Police executed simultaneous search warrants at addresses in St John’s Road and St James’ Road in Tunbridge Wells, as well as in Bellfield Road, Pembury.

Three men and two women were arrested on suspicion of importing controlled drugs.

Two of the men were also arrested on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs after the warrants led to the discovery of a number of wraps believed to contain heroin. All suspects have now been released, pending further investigation.

Tackling drug related activity has long been a priority for the Police in Tunbridge Wells, who have previously warned that the town was being targeted by gangs from London.

Figures released in the recent Community Safety Partnership report did, however, show an 11 per cent decline in the number of incidents recorded in the year ending September 2016 – the latest full data available.

In total, 189 drug related incidents occurred during the period, down from 212.

Despite this, out of the 12 local authorities in Kent and Medway, the town was ranked ninth worst for the number of offences, a small improvement on eleventh when the previous report was published.